


Take Me Home

by VeinsOfOpal



Category: Dragon Age II
Genre: Angst, Gen, Grief, Loss, M/M, Sadness
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-04-21
Updated: 2016-04-21
Packaged: 2018-06-03 15:48:28
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 581
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6616381
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/VeinsOfOpal/pseuds/VeinsOfOpal
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>It was all so much to handle. Even Champions fall apart.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Take Me Home

**Author's Note:**

> Listened to this song while writing this; you should give it a listen, too!  
> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FY2C-hmW1Yk

Atlas Hawke trudged up the hill, his muscles burning with each step. His companions following him were silent, and one could almost imagine a peaceful atmosphere, were it not for the smell of smoke and ash that lingered in the still air. Anax walked beside his master, head hung low. His left ear had been torn from his head, dried blood stuck to the side of the mabari’s face. He bore gashes from templar swords, but was still walking alongside Hawke, close and with worried eyes.  
They reached the top of the grassy hill, and each paused as they drew tired breaths. Hawke paused in the light of the dawning sun, a soft breeze caressing his wearied features. Slowly, he turned, his bright blue gaze looking into the distance. Smoke rose from Kirkwall, fires illuminated broken buildings and the debris that had been strewn from the Chantry’s explosion. He breathed in. He breathed out. His chest tightened as he gazed upon his broken home, and Anax gave a whine, soft brown eyes searching the Champion’s locked expression. It all replayed in Atlas’ mind as he looked towards his home. 

_The Chantry exploding into the stormy sky. His knife slipping between Anders’ ribs, up and to his heart. The warm blood, seeping through the rebel mage’s coat and onto his hands. His friend’s blood, on his hands. He felt the gasp through the blade in Anders’ back, and watched with tears in his eyes as his friend fell to the ground. Blood dripped from the wound, the wound he’d inflicted. Even as his mind repeated that it had to be done, the images flashed. Gathered around a table at the Hanged Man, Anders grinning at the hand he held. Laughing as Isabela called his bluff, white teeth showing with his grin, blonde hair falling about his face. Then his gaze was back to that curled form upon the ground, blond hair swaying in the soft breeze, covering his friend’s face._

He was back upon the hill, eyes widened as he stared at Kirkwall. Hawke’s shoulders began to shake, and even as Anax let out another worried whine, he couldn’t stop. A mournful sound rose from the mighty Champion’s throat, expression a vision of pure grief as tears streamed from bright blue eyes. Hawke fell to his knees in the swaying grass as his shoulders shook with the sobs that wracked his wearied body. Even as arms encircled him, Fenris’ heart beating heavily beside him and his name murmured softly, he couldn’t stop. The tears kept coming, the loss of it all crushing him in that moment. Even as his bloodied mabari curled up close to him as he sat there. Even as Aveline took her place beside her old friend. Even as Sebastian’s soft voice spoke prayers for the fallen. Even as Merrill’s lips quivered. Even as Isabela averted her troubled eyes, hands balled into trembling fists. Even as tears glimmered in Varric’s own eyes as he sat down beside him. Even surrounded by his friends on that hilltop as Kirkwall burned on.  
As time passed, the Champion had fallen quiet, wet streaks still falling down his pale cheeks. The companions were silent in a moment of grievance, watching as their home of many years smoked on and on into the new sky. Rays of sunlight shown through the storm clouds that drifted through the sky, those golden rays falling upon the troubled souls sat upon that hilltop. 

Falling upon broken Kirkwall.


End file.
